Georgian Bluffs township hall exterior. (file photo)
Thanks, but no thanks: Georgian Bluffs Mayor Sue Carleton has no interest in strong mayor powers.
Georgian Bluffs council unanimously passed a motion during Wednesday’s meeting to send a letter to Premier Doug Ford and Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing Rob Flack to request the township be immediately removed from the list of municipalities designated under strong mayor legislation.
On May 1, Ontario’s Progressive Conservative government granted enhanced authority to mayors in 169 more municipalities across the province, giving them more control over municipal staffing, departments and budgets, as well as bylaws concerning housing and related infrastructure.
Carleton spoke prior to council’s discussion about strong mayor powers Wednesday, saying she is opposed to this move by the province.
“My father was a councillor in the former Albemarle township in Bruce County. And when I first put my name forward to run for mayor, Dad wanted to be sure that I understood the role I would be taking on … only when the rest of council did not come to an agreement would I have a vote. And that vote would only be to break a tie,” Carleton told her council colleagues. “The only other time I would need to vote as mayor would be in the case of a recorded vote.”
“The mayor can express an opinion on each issue, the same as every member of council should. And once all opinions have been expressed, it’s the mayor’s job to call the vote,” Carleton continues. “Dad was very clear on this and felt very strongly about it from his time on council. And I do as well.”
Carleton adds “true democracy” means all voices need to be heard, and it’s the mayor’s job to listen to the rest of council and ensure decisions made by the majority are implemented.
“It is not the mayor’s position, and should not be the mayor’s right to overrule others on council simply because they do not agree with the majority,” Carleton says. “Giving one person that much authority over the opinions and decisions of the majority removes democracy from our government process.”
Other councillors also expressed concerns over the province’s decision to expand strong mayor powers.
“It’s awful to see this. It’s the biggest undermining of democracy I’ve ever seen. I don’t agree with it at all,” says Georgian Bluffs Coun. Rick Winters.
The township’s Chief Administrative Officer Niall Lobley says there’s a “huge amount” that needs to be accomplished procedurally because strong mayor powers are already in place.
“We already have the powers, which means we have to adjust,” Lobley explains. “Fundamentally, it has shifted the landscape from a procedural perspective.”
Lobley mentioned, as an example, the mayor having to waive the right to veto or overrule council’s decisions every single meeting moving forward.
Staff are preparing a detailed reported outlining the procedural changes due to arrival of strong mayor powers, and some recommendations for council about how to proceed. That report could be ready by Georgian Bluffs council’s June 4 meeting.
Owen Sound, Saugeen Shores, West Grey, The Blue Mountains and Arran-Elderslie are among the many municipalities in the Grey Bruce region with councils and mayors publicly opposed to the province’s expansion of strong mayor powers.
- Owen Sound To Ask Province To Rescind Strong Mayor Powers
- Saugeen Shores Mayor Opposed To Strong Mayor Powers
- Arran-Elderslie Council Opposes Strong Mayor Powers
- West Grey Mayor Opposes New ‘Strong Mayor’ Powers
